Chapter 3: Dark Hearts
Leaving Moria On their way up, the group sees a scouting party of Valaraukar heading for the outlying towns of the Gonhirrim. Ok leads them through shortcuts to the Gonhirrim villages. The first is abandoned and a second is fortified against the attack. The heroes prevent an attack through secret doors from below and the Gonhirrim are saved. Back in the city proper, the heroes are welcomed and rewarded with rest and reprovisioning before they leave for the surface. Fori, Saris, Telchar, Xar, Ok, and even Kornari all travel along. Fori reveals the secret path that the Gonhirrim use to sneak in and out of Moria without having to cross the bridge at the Chasm of Doom, and the fresh air welcomes them. They take a different route south to Ceven's mountain. Along the way, the Gonhirrim give the group an impromptu history lesson about the third age, of King Elessar, and hobbits, and the One Ring. Also, Ok seems to transform in the light and become something different, something better than he had been. The come to a solemn forest where a lot of deep contemplation takes place. Kornari threatens to burn the place down when he comes into his empire. Everyone generally ignores his attitude and enjoys the rest the forest offers. Leaving the forest, the group comes across a trapper's camp. There they find Xar, who is actually called Teb, who led them to ambush before they entered Moria. He is captured with the help of Xar the dwarf and turned over to the other trappers to face a pretty harsh justice. Before he is taken off, Teb reveals some serious details about the goings on in the world. Teb's Revelations --"The emblem is of one of the Old Ones. They are the lords of flame and shadow, lords of the Valaraukar. The one you hold is one of eight. Even now they enslave the so-called fallen stars and convert them to serve Tauraentulessë, the Mighty Master Returned. Once they are all in His service, Arda will finally be His to utterly destroy and remake after His Own Image." --"What do I get out of it? While Tauraentulessë rises, I will have wealth, power, women, whatever I want, but mostly, I get to die last when he purges the world and hopefully I'll be reborn into His." --heir commander is a man named Nithaen. His second in command you've already met. Pauric is also their main recruiter. This information isn't going to help you. There is no way the four of you will be able to take on so many, even with better gear and the mountain men to help you." --"We were to slow you down, strip all your gear. If you died, it would not have made them sad, but he knew it wasn't likely to happen. They went north, beyond the Withered Heath where the dragons rule." Restoring the Song of the Earth The group heads south into Mordûn, and eventually to Ceven's mountain. The Gonhirrim are taken aback at the sight of Amath, but trust the adventurers with their tale of 'good' orcs. Inside the cavern, Telchar works to destroy the corruption that has almost consumed Ceven. With help from the group, the corruption is beat back. Then each of the four returns the small portion of Ceven's blessing to him, waking him from his slumber. In retribution, he severs Dúath'gûr's connection to Arda. Then Ceven makes this offer to the four heroes: Ano, it may be that you will gain the blessings of all the Maiar in time. The Way of the Four Doors is only the first lesson. There are Three more beyond when those Four are open. For now, if you choose, you may release the blessing to another without fear of never hearing my Song again. In so doing, you will be given the opportunity to hear another Song, to open another Door. '' ''Phineas, child, my Song does not resonate as well in you as another will. Though you may choose to keep my blessing, such an act would only benefit you in a small way and would take the greater blessing from another. If you choose to give up this gift I have given you, it will be forever lost to you. While the choice is yours to make, I ask you to consider wisely. Toben, knowledge is rarely lost by one with a mind such as yours. All that you have learned so far, all that you can build from it, will remain with you. However, if you choose to return your blessing, your special connection to the Earth will not remain, only the knowledge itself. You are a scholar, potentially a wizard as grand as any Maiar of old. Release the Song and gain knowledge of others. Perhaps in time, we will go stronger and you may sing with the symphony of Arda, wielding all our blessings as Ano has potential to do. Only now, another could benefit more from the Song of Earth. Klale, gentle as the open field, as strong as any mountain. Earth calls to you. You have always heard its Song. You have used its harmony to shape years of metal in your skilled hands. The others may benefit from my Song, but you, you are as much of the mountains as these dwarves, yet unlike them, you are not deaf to our Song. It is within you to forge wonders, not just for yourself, nor your companions, but for all the world. Wonders that will tip the balance against the rising darkness. In your hands, earth, metal, crystal, stone...all will seem to shape itself, eager to be what you envision. But the choice is yours. Which one of you will continue my Song, and which of you will seek another? The others relinquish their claim to the blessing, allowing Klale to accept. He is granted the ability to smith not only works beyond anything the Gonhirrim can manage, but to eventually craft Wondrous Items and Equipment. List of the Fallen Stars Once the blessing is bestowed, Ceven is overcome by a strange vision in which he provides some information about himself and his brethren: * There are seven stars that descended to Arda: #[[Ceven|''Ceven]]' of the Song of Earth who was captured by the dark heart,' #[[Nestael|Nestael]]' the Healer, whose body is ravaged without death,' #[[Naurel|Naurel]]' the Song of Fire, who runs with dragon masters,' #[[Lanthir|Lanthir]]' the Song of Water, frozen in the land of the sun,' #[[Gwaelind|Gwaelind]]' the Song of Wind, buried in the sky,' #[[Nauthaur|Nauthaur]]' the Fool,' #[[Faeruel Taurmaiar|Faeruel Taurmaiar]], who cannot be corrupted.'' Leaving Mordûn After the trance, Ceven tells the group that he and the other Maiar were not meant to fall as stars. They were meant to descend. Something more powerful than the Maiar struck them as they entered Arda and caused them to fall. Then, most were bound and began to be corrupted, like Ceven. When Ceven had his vision, whatever provided it, also protected him from connecting to his brethren to keep him from becoming corrupted again. After leaving the mountain, Saris and Xar decided to continue the heroes in their quest for the other fallen stars. Kornari - allowing everyone to accompany him on his tour of his future empire - happens to head in the same direction. Telchar, Fori, Ceven, Ok, and the Lim Orchoth guarding Ceven's cavern all head west back to Moria to aid the Gonhirrim against the Valaraukar. Continue to Chapter 4: Dying Forever. Story Chapters Prologue: The Legacy of Men Chapter 1: Song of the Earth Chapter 2: Digging up the Dwarves Chapter 3: Dark Hearts * Chapter 3.1: Ourn's Story Chapter 4: Dying Forever Chapter 5: Rebirth of a Star Chapter 6: Return to the Duchies * Chapter 6.4: A Bard's Tale (Ryland's Story) Chapter 7: Tempest of Fire * Chapter 7.1: Rise of a Paladin (Galad's Story)